GDPR

Is your organisation protecting personal data properly?

Like most of us, you’re probably tired of receiving spam and cold calls? The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will go a long way in reducing unwanted contact from legitimate companies that adopt aggressive marketing tactics.

Since the Data Protection Act of 1998 the amount of data that is processed electronically has increased substantially. Data breaches and identity theft have risen considerably and cybercrime has become a lucrative business. Protecting personal data in an age where there is so much of it available online, is vital.

In order to help reduce the threat to individuals’ privacy, EU legislation is being updated to become the General Data Protection Regulation and will be adopted under a similar name by UK law following Brexit. This regulation puts greater responsibility onto the organisations processing personally identifiable data(PII). This will come into effect on 25th May 2018, not long now!

How can my organisation become GDPR compliant in time?

ABtec can help you achieve and maintain ongoing GDPR compliancy much faster and more easily than you might think. We can help you save time, manpower and provide additional assurance that your organisation has everything in place.

What are the main reasons for data breach? Here’s how to prevent them…

Human error

Inadvertently sending a file containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to the wrong recipient, or sending PII through inappropriate means, can easily put it in the wrong hands. Removable media or devices such as USBs, tablets, smartphones, laptops, hard drives etc are susceptible to physical loss or theft. The risk should be assessed, with appropriate measures put in place to mitigate it.

Solutions such as encryption, device management, staff training and implementing procedures and policies will help everyone in your organisation to keep personal data secure.

Cybercrime is BIG business!

The importance of data to organisations is exploited on a daily basis by criminals. They try to use lots of ways to trick you into giving it to them, or attempt to steal it in order to hold you to ransom. Among other cyber- attacks, a type of malware called ‘ransomware’ is on the rise. Hacking also presents a risk to electronic data with numerous motivating factors. Hacker groups and activist hackers or “hacktivists”, pose particular risk to public organisations.

Anti-malware in addition to anti-virus software is an absolute must.

Computer malfunctions

When worn or unmaintained equipment fails, without proper backup can lead to significant loss of information. When you rely on a piece of hardware for business you need a back up plan!

Automatic, off-site, cloud back ups are one simple and efficient method to help keep your data from being lost or stolen. Having a pro-active monitoring service on your network from an IT support company such as ABtec, will enable pro-active maintenance and responsive trouble-shooting to take place and keep you in business!

It’s not just the ICO who will kick your butt..

Consequences of data breach include (but not limited to):

Lack of trust from customers and other important stakeholders

Disruption to working caused by missing data or retrieving it

Inability to continue trading completely

Potential of considerable fines from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

Safeguarding issues for organisations looking after children or vulnerable adults

How can ABtec help you achieve GDPR compliancy faster and more easily?

Making the necessary changes a step at a time makes the process much more manageable. Our 9-step guide outlines the actions you’ll need to start taking.

Brace yourself, going it alone is a lot of hard work and incredibly time consuming!

ABtec can help you achieve and maintain ongoing GDPR compliancy much faster and more easily than you might think. We can help you save time, manpower and provide additional assurance that your organisation has everything in place.